Exaction of excessive fees for verification of invoices; penalty
About This Law
/us/usc/t22/s4202
Title
22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse
Chapter
CH52
Release
119-84
Release Date
2026-04-17
Section Text
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The fee provided by law for the verification of invoices by consular officers shall, when paid, be held to be a full payment for furnishing blank forms of declaration to be signed by the shipper, and for making, signing, and sealing the certificate of the consular officer thereto; and any consular officer who, under pretense of charging for blank forms, advice, or clerical services in the preparation of such declaration or certificate, charges or receives any fee greater in amount than that provided by law for the verification of invoices, or who demands or receives for any official services, or who allows any clerk or subordinate to receive for any such service, any fee or reward other than the fee provided by law for such service, shall be punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than $2,000, and shall be removed from his office.
(R.S. § 1716.)
Editorial Notes
Codification
R.S. § 1716 derived from act Mar. 3, 1869, ch. 125, § 3, 15 Stat. 321.
Section was not enacted as part of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 which comprises this chapter.
Section was formerly classified to section 1182 of this title, and prior thereto to section 85 of this title.
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